Turning the Tables

Saturday, April 19th, 2008

Heh.

Eric Bryant says he was sitting in the SanSai Japanese Grill on NW 21st and Hoyt on March 7 when he witnessed Officer Chad Stensgaard pull up and park his patrol car illegally, next to a “No Parking” sign.

Stensgaard walked into the restaurant wearing his police uniform, but did not make any arrests or citations. Instead, he turned his attention to the basketball game on television, according to Bryant. When Bryant asked Stensgaard about his vehicle, Stensgaard allegedly acknowledged being in a no-parking zone but asked Bryant, “If someone broke into your house, would you rather have the police be able to park in front of your house or have to park three blocks away and walk there?”

Bryant returned to his seat, and says shortly afterward he watched a restaurant employee hand the officer a plastic bag before he left. Unfortunately for Officer Stensgaard, Bryant had recently passed the Oregon bar exam, and decided to pursue the matter further.

This one cracks me up, and it reminds me of a recent observation. I was driving to work when this car blows past me, a county probation vehicle. Then 30 seconds later, a CHP vehicle blasts past me, lights flashing.

A few miles down the road, said CHP has county vehicle pulled over. Now that should have been an interesting conversation.

In Illinois, police do not have to obey traffic regulations, they are only required to avoid reckless endangerment. I presume this is to prevent the spate of spurious citizens’ arrests that would inevitably follow if this were not the case.

Personally, while I understand your point, I think the newly-minted lawyer should have the shit kicked out of him.